Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-04-14
IN THE MIDDLE WEST
A Story Of Life in the Great
Mississippi Valley.
BY ALvA MILTON KERR.
lcoPYRIGHT, 1885, by THE A. N. KELLOGG
NEWSPAPER COMPASY1
CHAPTER xxL-CoxrrSuro

''Well, Welt bless me. I'm glad &c
see you. sir" cried Squire Thorp,
shaking John Earling vigorously by
the hand. 81 used to know your father
prime. You look some hkc him. but
more like the mother, Judge" Then
she that was once Hettie SPAWN found
her tongue loosened, and John Earling
learned great deal of himself and lis
parents ere the meal was finished.
Squire Thorp, widower. Justice OF
the peace, notary public. and admirer
otMrs. Bettie Tressler, was very hearty,
and Mrs. Hettie Tressler, widow, owner
of the Tressler farm, and leaser of the
Earlingford House, was overllowingly
happy. John Earling, too, found him
self strangely well entertained by
glimpses they gave him Of hls unre.
membered years and time hidden be-
hind that misty period.
When he and Squire Thorp went out
into the little yellow Office together,
after the meal had been discussed. the
young man ventured TO ask the lorid
Squire If he knew Ivyl Snaer.
"Bless you, yes, my boy, yes" cried
the squire, "haye a smoker Don't use
tobacker, eh? Good idee; gin il my
self, but get so tremengus pussy if
don't use it have TO back up 10 my
friends 10 shake hands with 'em," and
the squire laughed till he seemed in
danger Of strangling. After recover
ing himself lac drew on his cigar, and
leaning against the counter, ex-
claimed: "Knowed Ivyl SnaerP Bless
you, yes; bless you, yes. | come onto
the scene early in life; was born in a
log house down on the bottom
there fifty-two year ago the twenty
second of next June, and by the help OF
sweet cider an a clear conscience
I've outweathered freshets and agor-
cake and always clung to these parts
In fact l was born on freshct: my
fathers cabin was floaiin' down the
bottom on one Of the Ohicr's annual
blow-outs when i made my first ap-
pearance and took up the burden Of
Twin in the world. Never had no no
ton of fodtin since" and the squire
gave Kind Of sucking snort of laugh
ter and strangled again. John Earring
was Il trifle bored by the garrulous
squire. but he never permitted himself
TO indicate such feeling for any one,
were their unpleasant features free OF
evil.
"Is Mr.. Snaer still liying?" he asked.
''Bless you! / don't know, | don't
know; guess not, though; he left here
before the war and went South some
where, and nobody, leastwise in these
parts, has ever heard n breath of i'm
or had the scratch Of a pen from i'm.
He always seemed like a fish out Of
water after Your fathers death. Guess
be didn't feel satisfied about takin' the
land as he did. But bless youl the
transaction was square and straight as
q tombstonei he paid the money and
held the deed"
80 / understand.
"But he laid IL clean over me-" said
the squire, SOLDERING and shaking bis
head; Il never could butt agin the
thing hard enough 20 mahe the reason
for his gOin' of penetrate my pate. He
sold every thing he had about here but
the farm he got OF your father; that he
put In my keer, an told me 10 heY' II
seeded down an paster an hay II an
put the proceeds in the bank for i'm.
Then be cleared out, an not a blessed
hair Of i'm has ever showed above the
horizon sincei'
How long since was thatP'
"fiitecn years agol Ifhe's in Heaven,
what's 10 become of the farm an pro-
ccedsP l never hcerd OF i'm hayin'
kin on earth. Two thought about Il.
hoy, tall Pve lost tho bigger sheer Of
my hair. can't do the sum- IDS as
tough as the dried gizzard of ancient
Pharaohl" and with another snort the
squire strangled, and they walked out
upon the porch.